Eberron Maps
A Day in the Life...
Arcs of electricity spark and flare, carrying the lightning rail toward the bridge. If Sundry is telling the truth, the train holds a fortune in Cyran gold… a fortune that rightfully belongs to the refugees scattered across Breland. And if Sundry is telling the truth, that gold is guarded by a cadre of undead soldiers, the elite warriors of Karrnath.
The airship Revenge glides towards the bridge. The warforged ranger Pierce holds his sword in his right hand; with his left, he clings to the edge of Revenge. Pierce is a living weapon, built to fight for the people of Cyre. In a moment he’ll release his grip, and if he times it right, he’ll land atop the coach and have a chance to reclaim the lost treasure. If he times it wrong, he’ll be smashed to pieces at the bottom of the canyon.
A human would hold his breath, but Pierce doesn’t breathe. He just waits as Revenge passes over the bridge, and then he releases his grip.
Eberron in a Nutshell
Eberron embraces swashbuckling action and pulp adventure and adds a layer of neo-noir intrigue. Stories don’t always end well and there isn’t a perfect answer to every problem. The Last War turned old allies into bitter enemies and destroyed an entire nation, leaving terrible scars behind. Crime and corruption lurk in the great cities of Khorvaire. Hidden dragons shape the course of history. Sinister fiends influence the dreams of the unwary. Human greed and ambition may prove more dangerous than any devil or demon. But through this darkness, there are opportunities for a group of bold adventurers to make a difference… for better or for worse.
Here’s a quick overview of what lies ahead:
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A Magical World. From warforged and airships to the mighty dragonmarked houses, magic is a part of the world and its stories.
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Pulp Adventure. Whether you’re leaping from an airship or battling demons in forgotten ruins, Eberron encourages cinematic action and swashbuckling adventure.
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Neo-Noir Intrigue. Eberron is a world of difficult choices. The line between hero and villain is easily blurred, and even the champions of the light may have things they regret.
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The Last War. Eberron has just emerged from a century-long civil war, and the scars of that bitter conflict remain. How did the war affect your character, and how will it shape your story?
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The Mourning. This mystical cataclysm destroyed an entire nation and created a deadly wasteland in the heart of Khorvaire. The Mourning brought the war to an end, but it is a mystery and a threat that looms large over Eberron.
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Ancient Mysteries. Powerful artifacts are hidden in the ruined cities of giants. Dragons and intelligent undead scheme in the shadows, unraveling a prophecy that could shape the future. These ancient mysteries can be a source of fantastic adventures and terrible danger.
Players and Magic
Player Characters Are Remarkable. Eberron is a world in need of heroes. Lingering tensions of war remain. From the fanatics of the Emerald Claw and the mad cults of the Dragon Below to the flesh-warping daelkyr and ancient archfiends, Eberron faces many threats… and there’s no one out there to stop them. In Eberron, the gods are distant and don’t directly intervene. The Silver Flame is a divine force of light, but it can only act through mortal champions. The few powerful benevolent NPCs have limitations: the Keeper of the Flame loses her powers if she leaves her citadel. The mighty great druid is… well… a tree. Most of the powerful people in the setting are driven by selfish goals. If the Tarrasque comes to Sharn, there’s no one else to deal with the problem: the fate of the city is in your hands.
This is something to consider in developing your character and choosing your background. If you take the soldier background, you can be more than just a grunt. What did you do during the Last War? What was your greatest triumph or most tragic defeat? If you’re a spy, are you a prized agent or did you break loose from your organization after they pushed you too far? Don’t just think of your character as a set of numbers: even at 1st level, you’re remarkable.
EVERYDAY MAGIC
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Here are a few examples of how magic is integrated into everyday life in Khorvaire:
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The Lightning Rail uses bound elementals to drive a train of carriages along a path of conductor stones. The rail links most major cities and is a simple way to travel long distances.
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An Elemental Airship uses a fire or air elemental, bound into a ring that holds the ship aloft and provides motive force. The airship is a recent innovation that is transforming the business of transportation.
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Warforged are sentient humanoid golems. Developed during the Last War, warforged were created as weapons. The Treaty of Thronehold forbid the creation of new warforged, while granting freedom to the golems that survived the war.
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Everbright Lanterns use continual flame to light the streets of Khorvaire. The flame never goes out, but metal shutters allow a lantern to be dimmed or shut down.
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Speaking Stones allow communication between distant communities. A short message can be sent from one stone to another, functionally similar to a telegraph.
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